Dust-sealing device



May l, 1928. 1,667,896

s. .1. MAGUIIRE DUST SEALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 0 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1

I N VEN TGR SAMUELJMAGURE JWM@ 7G ATTORNE May l, 1928.

1,667,896 S. J. MAGUlRE DUST sEALING DEVICE Filed Deo. 50. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR SAMUEL..HAGUIRE ATTORNEYS BY E9 FIG-7 Patented May 1, 1928.

PATENT GFFICE.

SAMUEL J. MAGUIRE, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

DUST-SEALING DEVICE.

Application filed December 30, 1926.

L This invention relates to new and useful improvements in dust sealing devices for grain weighing machines and the like. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient means which will prevent dust laden air discharged from the weighinghopper from passing between the fixedv vand movable portions of the hopper and its feeding mechanisnnor between the fixed and movable portions of the ventilators.

iAnother object is to provide a device which may be easily attached to the said fixed and movable sections and which will not affect the weighing of the grain while in operation.

Up tothe present time it has been difficult to seal the space between the weighing hopper and the garner to prevent passing there between of dust laden air which has been displaced by the filling of the weighing hopper with grain. It has also been a difficult problem to provide a suitable sealing means between the fixed and movable sections of the hopper ventilators vto prevent the dust laden air discharged from the inside of the weighing hopper from escaping and affecting the efcient working of the machinery, by allowing dust to sett-le on the upper sur faces of the weighing hopper and thereby affecting the weighing of the grain.

In my invention I overcome the above difliculties by providing a iiexible sealing means which will allow free movement of the weighing sections with respect to the fixed sections of the machinery without affecting the weighing of the material in the scale hopper. The flexible sealing members are operated by the pressure of air from the weighing hopper, said air being displaced by feeding into the hopper the grain to be weighed, A

In the drawings whicl` illustrate one forni of my invention,

Figure 1 is a part side elevation showing the junction between the feeding mechanism and the grain weighing hopper.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the sealing means between the grain feeding device and the grain weighing hopper. j

yFigure 3 is a part sectional side elevation .showing the manner of attaching the seal- Seral No. 158,038.

ing devices to the hopper and to the garner.

Figure i is a sectional side elevation showing my device applied to a ventilator.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan taken on the line 5 5 Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a s ctional plan taken ou the line 6 6 Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified type of valve operating means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates a garner or storage bin which may be seemed to the fixed frame 12, by any suitable means not shown. The lower end 13 of the garner or storage bin converges towards the discharge end 14e within which is mounted the shutter valve 15 shown in plan in Figure 5. Secured to the converging sides of the garner are the angle members 16. Positioned directly below the opening is the scale hopper 17, the upper end of which converges towards thegarncr, but is'spaced therefrom. There is a slight vertical movement between the weighing hopper and the garner and the main object of this invention is to provide means which will prevent dust laden air from being forced out of the scale hopper into the surrounding space when grain is fed into the scale hopper through the valve. Depending from the angle 1G and secured thereto by means of the bolts 1S, is the pliable or flexible sealing member 19, which entirely surrounds the open end of the garner and passes into the open mouth 2O of the scale hopper, but clear of the upper edge 21. The lower edge 24a of the member 19 is provided wit-h a weight which holds the side of the fl-xible member 19 in a substantially vertical plane. This weight may consist of flat steel bars. Depending from and securedv to the upper edge 21 of the scale hopper, is the sealing member 23, which is also made of flexible material such as canvas, weighted at its lower edge 24, and spaced from the lower edge of the member 19, so that on maximum downward movement of the scale hopper, the lower edge 2d will lie above the bottom of the curtain 19. rl`he sealing strips are spaced from one another so that there is no friction between them which would interfere with the weighing of the grain. The valve operating rod 25 extends through a slot Z6 formed in the curtain member 19 and secured to said lever by any suitable means is the slot covering bar 27, when the valve operating mechanism shown in Figure is used. This bar is made approximately twice the length of the slot, so that it covers same at all times during the operation of the valve. Vvlhen the valve rod` is ot the pushl ype shown in Figure 7, the'valve rod Q8 pa. s through a slot and to prevent l laden air trom passing through said slt, a fle/)kihle cone-shaped guard Clt)A mayl be used with the smaller end secured to the valve rod and larger end secured to the scalingmember .19 clear ot the slot 29. lt willvbescen that the guard collapses intothe space shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, when the valve is in the open position. rlfhe hopper is' pro# vided, with one 'or more ventilators which carry the dust laden air clear ot the weighing room, and a det-ail of one or' said ventilators is shown in Figures et and 6. The exactfposition of the Ventilator is not shown, but it will be readily understood that it may he attached to the outside of the scale 'h'opper plate 3l. Each ventilatorconsists ot` a lower pipe 32, and an upper pipe The lower pipe communicates with the interior of the hopper and diverges outwardly and then inwardly towards its upper edge 34rwhich is spaced from the outer wall otf the pipe 3?, the lower edge 35 otwhich projects into the lower pipe 32, a short distancey as shown in Figure el. Depending' :trom the upper edge 34 otthe pipo 32, is 'the flexible sealing member or curtain 36, the lower edge o't': which is provided with a weight` 37 to hold 4it in a substantially Vertical position. Dependingfrom the lower edge 38 ot the pipe 33, is the flexible sealing curtain 39, the lower edge ot which is provided with :i weight-ed ring llll. The inember 39 is spaced trom the member 36 and its lower edge 40 is positioned above the edgel 37 so that when any vertical movement occurs between the ventilator sealing curtains, said curtains will contact with one' another at'all times when air forced through the pipes. The pipe A u cnn upwardly through the root of the wei nughouse'so that the dust laden air conveyed to the outside atmosphere;

Many moditicat-ions may 'he made in the device without departing `from the spirit or the invention.

'Elie operation ofinA the mechanism is as tollows. Grain is fed into the weighingv hopperhy opening the Vvalve at the bottom of the garner or storage bin, rlhe sudden inrush et grain into the Scale hopper causes a sudden outrush" or expulsion of the air displaced' by the? grain? The only outlet for theair is `through the ventilators. The dust leden. air takes: fhepath indicated by er,- Iers in Figure 2, and tomes the .adjacent fases. @gli the seal-ins Ciutat Werther, as

reezsee shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and alfo in Figure 4. The sealing members comingA together seal the outlet and prevent the dust laden air from passing into the weighing house so that its only course is up through the vventilators. frs soon as the pressure of air hai-,r ef-:ha usted itself, the sealing members are pulled by, the weights clear of one another. so that there.l no 4friction between thorn which 'would interfere with the weighinuoi' the grain.

The device is very simple in operation and provides an etticient seal which will not interfere with the tree working o't the scale lmppor. The sealing; members are very easily'secured in position' and absolutely prevent dust `from the interior of the scale lhopper from escaping and collecting on the upper plates thereof, a condition which has heretofore inte't'er-ed with theA proper working of` the scale. llfhile'the sealing` mechanism has been shown as applied tora Weighf ing scale 'for grain, it will; be obvious that many other uses and applications ofthe inrentionv may be made,

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaimiszf* Y l. A sealing;r device between tixedand movable guiding means, which communicate `with' oneanother, comprising a flexible-.cur-

tain surroundlngan opening in thc, liXcQ/d grinding means, a flexible 'curtain surroundin` the opening into-the movable. guiding means, one of said curtains being; adapted to slufround the other and Contact with same when pressure is applied to the curtain walls. l

2.431 sealing device between fixed. and movable members which communicates with one another comprising` ay tlexihle'curtain surrounding an opening in thetixed member and depending; therefrom, a flexible Curtain surrounding the opening in' the movable member, one of ysaid curtains being adapted to surround the other andto contact with same when air pressure is applied to4 the walls ot' the curtain members. Y

3. A sealing device between tiredand movable guiding means which com', unicate with one another through acljlaceun'tl openings, comprising,r a iexible curtain suspended from and enclosing the openingin the ed member, a flexible curtain suspen'dedj fr oin and surrounding the opening in the iuoyable member, one ot' said curtains being made to surround the other curtain but spaced therel from, means securedto the curtainsI tofliold them in a vertical plane, Vone of 'said our@ tains being made oi greater depth than the other curtain'. A

4. In a sealing device between a garner and Weighing hopper 'communicating through openings in their adjacent end flexible Curtain member suspended frein and surrounding the Opening, itl-regenten e flexible curtain member' Secured to the edge of the opening in the Weighing hopper and depending thereinto, said Weighing hopper curtain being adapted to surround the garner curtain and to be spaced therefrom, one curtain being' made of greater' depth than the other curtain so that they will Contact with one another at all times during relative movement of the hopper when air preeeure is applied to the curtain Walls.

5. In a sealing device between a valve Controlled garner and a Weighing hopper, which communicate With one another through adjacent openings, a flexible curtain member depending from the garner and surrounding the opening therein, Said Curtain having an aperture formed therein, a valve operating lever freely mounted in said aperture, means secured to the lever to seal the aperture, a i exible curtain member secured to the edge olf the opening in the Weighing hopper and projecting' thereinto, said Weighing hopper curtain being adapted to surround the garner curtain, and so formed that it Will contact with the walls of the garner curtain during relative movement of the hopper when air under pressure is applied to the Curtain Walls.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL J. MAGUIRE. 

